Potato grader



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 22 1926.

C. H. CLARK PoTATo GRADER Filed March 27 1925 June 22 1926. 1,589,367

C. H. CLARK POTATO GRADER Filed March 27. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 c H. can? f the frame,

Patented June 22, 1926.

UNlTED STLFES CHARLES H. CLARK, OIE' EASTON, MAINE.

POTATO GRADER.

Appiiarion medi/:arch 27, 1925. serial No. 18,885.

This invention relates to potato graders and has for its object the provison of a sim ple and inexpensive device whereby the potatoes will be more eiectually and rapidly graded than has been heretofore done. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be hereinafter irst fully described and then particularly defined in y the appended claim.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a potato grader embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a detailof vthe screen.

Potatoeshave been heretofore graded by hand while being caused to iow or roll through a rack 'or trough, the walls of which converge toward the delivery end of the rack and the bottom of which is composed of 4slats or bars extending longitudinally of the rack and spaced apart. The open spaces between adjacent bars or slats permitted the loose dirt to pass and also permitted the very small potatoes to drop through, but the separation of the standard size potatoes from the smaller potatoes was performed by hand, the result being that many marketable potatoes were placed with the culls or those of inerior sizes. -The object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a simple device by the use of which the potatoes will be eiiectually graded 'without being bruised and without requiring an excessive amount of manual labor. In the accompanying drawings, the reference 1 indicates a supporting frame of any convenient construction having side rails 2 secured upon its upper portion, said rails converging toward one end of the frame, as shown in Fig. 2, and extending somewhat beyond the said end of the frame, as shown in Fig. 1. Extending between the rails 2 atthe delivery end of the hopper is a solid ioor 3 which forms al chute to direct the marketable potatoes into a bag suspended in any convenient manner from the said Hoor. The inner end of the floor 3 is secured upon a cross bar 4 of the supporting frame and the upper edge of the oor is spaced from the inner or upper edge of said cross bar, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. Another cross bar 5 is secured upon the frame in spaced relation to the cross bar 4 and the slats 6 are secured at their forward ends upon the cross bar 5 and at their rear ends to as will be readily understood. It will be noted that the slats 6 and the door 3 are inclined downwardly toward the delivery end of the structure so that the potatoes placed upon the upper ends of the slats will roll down the same toward and over the floor 3. The forward ends of the slats 3 terminate in spaced relationto the forward edge of the cross bar 5 and at the sides of the device abutting the rails 2 iller plates 7 are secured upon the cross bars to lspan the space between the same immediately adjacent the respective rails. These iiller plates are triangular' in plan view and their inner sides are parallel and extend longitudinally of the rack. A screen is fitted between these filler plates and comprises an upper head or cross bar 8 adapted to rest upon the cross bar 5 between the filler plates 7, and a lower head or cross bar 9 adapted to rest upon the cross bar 4 between the filler plates. As shown clearly in Fig. 1, the cross bars 8 and 9 abut the ends of the slats 6 and the edge of the floor 3, respectively, and their vertical dimensions are the same as the vertical dimensions of' the slats and the floor so that the several parts will be flush when assembled. as shown. Parallel rods l0 extend between the heads or cross bars 8 and 9 and may be provided in such numbers as may be desired. The upper ends of the said rods are fitted into the upper head 8 through the side of the same which is presented to the lower head and the lower ends of the rods are formed with downturned portions l1 which are adapted to fit within the lower head or cross bar 9 through the top of the same. The number of the rods l() will usually be determined by the size of the rack and the size of the potatoes which it is desired to remove from the bulk of the potatoes, the rods being set at such a distance apart that all the potatoes above a certain diameter will be prevented from` dropping between the bars and will roll along thc same and out through the delivery end of the rack while those of less diametei` will pass between the bars and may be caught in a suitable receptacle supported upon the frame below the screen. To properly guide the potatoes into the said receptacle, a hopper .l2 of sheet metal may be secured to the under side of the cross bars 4 and 5, as shown in Fig. 1.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be readily seen that have provided n grading meer s, urn my be @ari y plated the lon-fer head to in pition and by which the potatoes *will be automatically separated ccording to their sizes as they pass over the screen. The

screen is not secured to the supporting. frame but is merely placed in position upon the cross bars 4 and 5 and will be held in not project aboif'e' tlieiliead l8 so that the potatoes-indy pues i'roni said head onto the rods Without being bruised and inasmuch as the rodsfrise over the foi'iard edge of the lower liead 9.,lthe potatoes will be lifted so that they will not rol-l against a sharp eornerof be bruised thereby. The lower eposed portions off-the screen rods are ti'rne doiniyardly vso -aS to provide riind'surfaces to the potatoes as they pass ofi' said rods Softhat tths points will be avoided.

Having thus described the invention, I lati-fn:

A potato grader comprising a frame having its top inclined throughout its length and comprising *an upper slatted portion, a lower inperforateportion and an intermediate open portion, cross bars at the top and bottoinyof the opening and "undrlapping the eluted and iinp'rfofate portions', tively, a @priming Creen i me opening and supported upon the said' Cross bars,y lillr plates fifi Ithe sides' ofthe `sepzu-`atiiig' Sorten, rails at the sides of thesl'atte'd, nperfiite and steen portie-nso .die 'f'ziie and cnvergig throng 'out fiieiringti, ed t Hpper bolo7 and opposite the separating Screen. ,l

In testimony wha-eef imx Iii-1y `Signa- CHARLESH-goLAQRj1 it. 51] 

